Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Loei Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Loei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $921 in Loei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,503 in Loei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $2,085 in Loei.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 16% more expensive than Loei, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 20% lower, Loei 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿103

$3.10 ฿101

2.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿991

$27.56 ฿900

10.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿205

$6.18 ฿202

1.46%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿81.9

$2.10 ฿68.7

19.52%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ฿22.34

$0.72 ฿23.55

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.79

$0.38 ฿12.34

-28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.6

$2.41 ฿78.8

1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$3.80 ฿124

3.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.77 ฿57.7

1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.38

$1.34 ฿43.91

3.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.22

$1.26 ฿41.22

12.70%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿73.8

$2.13 ฿69.5

6.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿601

$18.74 ฿612

-1.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.4

$3.11 ฿102

-3.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿306

$10.61 ฿347

-11.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$3.16 ฿103

12.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.6

$1.25 ฿40.78

40.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.95 ฿63.6

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿59.9

$1.58 ฿51.5

16.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.53 ฿50.0

7.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.88

$1.27 ฿41.35

18.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.67

$1.03 ฿33.50

27.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.10

$0.49 ฿16.00

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿139

$4.48 ฿146

-5.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿490

$13.16 ฿430

14.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.9

$1.74 ฿56.8

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.68 ฿87.5

26.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.00

$0.95 ฿30.98

25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,190

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.84

$1.10 ฿36.07

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.07

$1.20 ฿39.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿200

$6.05 ฿198

1.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.88

$1.23 ฿40.11

1.63%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$28.1K ฿918.4K

32.75%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.6K ฿934.5K

$27.1K ฿884.6K

5.64%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.9 ฿3,000

$76.9 ฿2,511

19.46%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.96 ฿423

$13.76 ฿449

-5.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿577

$18.77 ฿613

-5.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,759

$48.79 ฿1,593

10.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿349

$12.05 ฿394

-11.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿258

$7.23 ฿236

9.27%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$601 ฿19.6K

$293 ฿9,569

105.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿432.6K

$9,473 ฿309.4K

39.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,863

$33.64 ฿1,099

69.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,250

$34.15 ฿1,115

12.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,376

$97.5 ฿3,185

6.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,103

$71.3 ฿2,329

33.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿21.9K

$420 ฿13.7K

59.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$288 ฿9,422

13.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.3K

$797 ฿26.0K

135.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.5K

$660 ฿21.6K

27.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.0K

$2,338 ฿76.3K

169.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.1K

$1,613 ฿52.7K

108.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.45

7.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bangkok: May 31, 2026

Last update for Loei: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $420 in Loei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $28.00 in Loei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $245 per month, with Loei cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bangkok vs Loei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Loei differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $921 including rent). Loei is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,602 in Bangkok and $1,381 in Loei to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $669 in Bangkok versus $420 in Loei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,068 per month in Bangkok versus $921 in Loei – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $921 in Loei versus $1,068 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Loei but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Loei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bangkok and Loei are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Loei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.